After another exhilarating weekend of college football, the weekly Associated Press (AP) polls were released. These polls rank the 25 best teams in the nation and it changes vastly every week. This week, there were three big changes that caught the public eye.
The first big change was the Washington Huskies placing No. 5 in the rankings. Their impressive 36-33 nail biting victory over Oregon was a big reason why they moved up the rankings. Led by Heisman trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies have a very strong chance of winning the Pac-12 and ultimately, the National Championship.
Washington also received two first-place votes and jumped above Oklahoma and Penn State to get into the top 5. This ranking was the highest the Huskies had been since the 2017 season. This was a huge accomplishment for the program and the Huskies will be hoping that this is the first of many high rankings this season.
The second big change in the polls was the University of North Carolina breaking into the top 10. The Tarheels were coming off of a 41-31 victory over Miami, improving their record to 6-0. While the Hurricanes did have a 17-14 halftime lead, the Tarheels went on to score 24 unanswered points in the second half and never looked back.
This ranking put the Tarheels above No. 11, Alabama. They are always a team to watch out for as quarterback Drake Maye looks to raise his draft stock ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft. With a favorable schedule throughout the rest of the month, it will be interesting to see if the Tarheels can build on their victory against Miami.
The final big change was Air Force becoming ranked. The Falcons were placed at No. 22 following their 34-27 win against Wyoming, their first time being ranked since 2019. The Falcons trailed for most of the first half but a fake punt midway through the second quarter gave the team the momentum they needed.
While the program has finished 10-3 in both of their last two seasons, they are now getting the attention they deserve. This is mostly due to the Falcons starting the season 6-0, their best start since 2002. With the win against Wyoming, the Falcons are now atop the Mountain West Conference.
While the AP polls do change rapidly every week, they are a good indicator of seeing who are the teams to beat in college football. For some programs, being ranked is a huge achievement as it gives them national spotlight that they do not always receive. Meanwhile for more well-known programs, the polls give them an idea of what it will take to make the College Football Playoff.
